PHARMACEUTICAL AND ANALYTICAL EVALUATION OF ABHRAKA BHASMA

Abhraka Bhasma, a classical Ayurvedic herbo-mineral preparation derived from purified mica through the process of Shodhana (purification) and Marana (incineration), has been widely used in traditional medicine for the management of respiratory, digestive, reproductive, and metabolic disorders. Despite its long-standing therapeutic use, standardization of Bhasma preparations remains a challenge due to variability in raw material, processing methods, and the number of Puta cycles employed. The present study was undertaken to prepare Abhraka Bhasma following classical Ayurvedic pharmaceutical procedures and to evaluate it through both traditional and modern analytical parameters in order to establish reproducible quality standards. Raw Abhraka was subjected to Shodhana using specified media, followed by Bhavana (levigation) with prescribed herbal juices, and repeated Marana through multiple Puta cycles until classical endpoints of Bhasma Pariksha—including Varitara, Rekhapurnatva, Nishchandratva, and Nirdhuma—were achieved. The final product was analyzed using modern physicochemical and instrumental techniques such as loss on drying, pH, ash values, particle size analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and atomic absorption/ICP-based elemental analysis to determine phase transformation, particle morphology, elemental composition, and heavy metal safety limits. The results confirmed successful conversion of crystalline mica silicate into a stable oxide form with sub-micron particle size, absence of characteristic lustre, and heavy metal content within permissible limits as per the Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India. The study demonstrates that integration of classical pharmaceutical processing with modern analytical validation provides a reliable framework for the standardization, quality control, and safety assurance of Abhraka Bhasma, supporting its continued therapeutic application.

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